Medical thermometer with shake-down attachment



June 24, 1958 L. FUTTERMAN MEDICAL THERMOMETER WITH SHAKE-DOWN ATTACHMENT Filed Aug. 27. 1954 A IIIIIIII/{l IN VEN TOR. A 00/5 fZ/T rf/f/w/v United States Patent MEDICAL THERMOMETER WITH SHAKE-DOWN ATTACHMENT Louis Futterman, White Plains, N. Y., assignor to Gem Thermometer Company, New York, N. Y., a partnership Application August 27, 1954, Serial No. 452,623

3 Claims. (Cl. 73 -373) This invention relates to medical thermometers. More particularly, the invention deals with a shake-down member normally collapsed on the thermometer and adapted to be extended into operative position in the form of a long spring arm extending longitudinally with respect to the axis of the thermometer.

Still more particularly, the invention deals with a shake-down member of the class described having means for retaining the spring arm against shifting movement in collapsed and extended positions.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a thermometer showing one of my improved shake-down members mounted thereon, with parts of the construction broken away.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the member, as seen in Fig. 1, and also indicating the member in collapsed position in dot-dash'lines and showing the thermometer in elevation; and

Fig. 3 is a cross-section substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 2, the section being taken through the closed sealed end of the thermometer. v

In the drawing, I have diagrammatically shown at 5 a medical thermometer having the contracted end portion 6 terminating in the mercury ball 7 and at 8 is indicated the opposed finger end portion of the thermometer. At 9 is shown one of my shake-down attachments or members in the form of a thimble-shaped' casing 10, having a relatively long socket 11, in which the end portion 8 of the thermometer is arranged and secured in any desired manner. One wall of the casing has a longitudinal groove or recess 12, in which an elongated arm 13 is mounted, the arm being in the form of a flat narrow strip of suitable spring material or material having spring properties. The arm 13 is pivoted to the casing 10, as by pivot pin 14, suitably fixed to the easing 10.

The pivot pin 14 passes through the arm at a point inwardly of the axis of a rounded end portion 15 on the arm, so that the rounded end portion 15, in engaging the side walls of the groove 12, will retain the arm 13 against shifting movement with respect to the casing 10 and the thermometer when in the extended operative position, shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing. V

The said side walls of the groove 12 have rounded end portions, as noted at 16 and 17 in Fig. 1 of the drawing, so that the arm 13 can be forcibly passed over these walls in movement of the arm 13 from the extended operative position to the collapsed position, as diagrammatically illustrated in dot-dash lines in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

2,839,927 Patented June 24, 1958 ice When in the collapsed position, it will be apparent that the side edges of the arm 13 will fit within the side walls of the groove 12 to retain the arm against accidental displacement, when in its collapsed position. It will, thus, be apparent that the shake-down attachment or member will not enlarge materially upon the dimensions of the thermometer when in its collapsed position, thus facilitating mounting of the thermometer in carrying cases, such as are commonly employed for medical thermometers of the kind under consideration.

'it will be apparent that, in extending the arm 13 into operative position, agitating the thermometer through the medium of the spring arm will operate to shake-down the thermometer, preparatory to taking a temperature reading.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An attachment for a medical thermometer, said attachment having means for mounting the same on one end portion of a thermometer, an elongated spring member having one end pivoted to said means, said member, in one position, extending longitudinally of the greater portion of the length of a thermometer, and in another position extending for the major portion of its length beyond said end of the thermometer to permit agitation of the thermometer, and said means including means, adjacent the pivot, for retaining the elongated spring member in alinement with the thermometer in both positions of said member.

2. An attachment for a medical thermometer, said attachment comprising a thimble-shaped casing fixed to one end of a thermometer, the outer surface of the easing having a longitudinal groove, a pivot at one end portion of said groove, an elongated spring member having one end mounted on said pivot to swing from a collapsed position longitudinally over the thermometer to a position extending for the major portion of its length beyond said end of the thermometer, and said member seating in the groove of said casing, in both positions thereof, to maintain alinement of the member with said thermometer.

' 3. An attachment for a medical thermometer, said attachment comprising a thimble-shaped casing fixed'to one end of a thermometer, the outer surface of the casing having a longitudinal groove, a pivot at one end portion of said groove, an elongated spring member having one end mounted on said pivot to swing from a collapsed position longitudinally over the thermometer to a position extending for the major portion of its length beyond said end of the thermometer, said member seating in the groove of said casing, in both positions thereof, to maintain alinement of the member with said thermometer, and the side walls of said groove having rounded end portions facilitating swinging movement of the member out of the groove in movement of the member into different positions with respect to the thermometer.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,019,289 Zeal Mar. 5, 1912 1,405,709 Black Feb. 7, 1922 1,782,599 Boutin Nov. 25, 1930 2,428,198 Koener Aug. 9, 1949 2,753,716 Futterman July 10, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 802,005 France May 30, 1936 

